Silent Language
by Shay2014
Summary: Sign Language is silent. This story is told by each states' roles in Deaf history.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello!

A/N: Hello! This is a story about Deaf history from each state. I will try to update every week.

The 13 colonies are from 6 to 10 years old human sized in this chapter.

Chapter one: Massachusetts

_1770_

America was watching his thirteen colonies running around outside of his house. He shook his head and chuckled. He was writing a letter on the table.

"Daddy!" Georgia cried as the little girl with long blonde hair ran in. The children usually call America 'Daddy' since he adopted them. America liked that the children call him that.

"What is it, sweetie?" America asked Georgia as he pulled her up to his lap. The girl's blue eyes looked up at him, "Mass is talking funny again." America couldn't help it but laugh. Massachusetts have just come back from her home. She seemed to have an interesting discovery in her home. She kept talking with her hands. It is annoying for others because they have no idea what she is talking about.

"Okay, okay! I am coming." America said. He stood up and held Georgia's hand as they exited the house. The first thing he saw was her daughter signing with her hands to her siblings. They call it Sign Language. America knew nothing about it. Massachusetts exclaimed that he should've known.

America chuckled and slowly approached the girl. Massachusetts was laughing at her confusing siblings.

"Maybe her voice is gone!" Maryland cried, concerned for her sister.

"I think there is something wrong with her hands." Rhode Island pointed out.

Then Massachusetts became angry and shook her head fast. She raised her index finger high as she tried to say something, but America caught her finger. This made Massachusetts scream.

"Okay, her voice is fine." Maryland observed.

America was laughing harder, and he let go of the girl's finger. Massachusetts looked up at him, innocently.

America scooped her in his arms, "Honey, what are you doing?"

'Nothing." She smiled cutely. America knew that she is was up to something. The second colony can be mischievous.

"Nobody can understand what you are saying if you using your hands to talk." America explained in a fatherly tone.

"But, everyone in Martha's Vineyard do!" The girl crosses her arms and frowned. America sighed, "I told you, we are not in Martha's Vineyard. We don't know any sign language."

"Learn then!" Massachusetts commanded. Oh boy…it will be a long time for her to stop picking on others with sign language. America wants to learn some sign, but he just doesn't have time.

"I will try, someday."

"When is someday?" Massachusetts asked.

"Maybe in one hundred years." New York said jokingly. America put the colony down, and smiled. He loved that one of his children is so eager to learn about another language so that she can talk to Deaf people. If he ever needs somebody to interpret, maybe he should ask her.

_1876_

Massachusetts peeked out the door of his father's room, waving at him. America was sitting at his table, and was too focused on his paper. Sighing, she walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. It made America jump and almost knock his paper off the table.

"Ahh! Oh it's you. I didn't hear you come in." America looked up at his sixth state, hand on his chest as if he just had a heart attack. Unexpectedly, Massachusetts began to sign, "No, I wasn't calling." Lucky, America could understand what she was saying. "Oh, is your voice broke?" He signed back, and with that Massachusetts' smile grew, "You learned!" She signed, excitedly. America nodded proudly, "Yes. I realized that I should've." Massachusetts smiled, "You did good." She spoke this time.

There was silence then America signed, "What do you need?" Massachusetts was lost in her thoughts, "Oh!" She begins to fingerspell, "C-O-L-O-R-A-D-O is looking for you." She signed.

America almost missed what she said when fingerspelling because she went too fast, so he only caught the last two letters. Colorado had just become a state few days ago.

"You know, we need to make up a name sign for him." America stood up and added, "My eyes hurts when reading fingerspelling."

"Sorry." Massachusetts turned her hand into a fist and moved it in a circle on her chest for the sign 'sorry'. Massachusetts turned and looked back to her father, and gave him an "I Love You." sign.

"No need. I love you too." He signed back, smiling. Sign Language was fun, and it was fun watching England yell at him because he had no idea what his ex colony was saying. America walked out and couldn't help but chuckle.

A/N: Martha Vineyard Sign Language: In early 18th century in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Both Deaf and Hearing people in the community use the sign language. It is like everyone knows sign language, and even some use them if they don't want to be heard by others. The sign language itself faded out in 1952. It also played a role in the development of America Sign Language.

Read and Review! I am free to ideas and feedbacks, and if you have a state you want to see next then let me know!


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: This story is based on Deaf folktales during the civil war. The name and how it happened have changed to respect the story. However, the concept is same. I am not sure if this story is true or a myth. Some websites said it is true and some other said it is myth. True or not, this story always inspires me.

Enjoy! Read and review.

Chapter two: Illinois

_1862_

Illinois was bleeding, tired, and hungry. He had no idea how he ended up in Georgia. He and his men had run to their hiding place. Illinois wiped his sweat off his forehead. He was very thirsty and very dirty. He held his rifle close with him and walked from tree to tree. He was carefully watching for any confederate soldiers. He has spilt away from his men and he hoped to find them soon. He coughed and his chest hurt. He was brought out of his thoughts when he saw his five union soldiers surrounding somebody. They yelled at the person and Illinois moved closer to see who it was. What he saw was a young man who seemed to be no more than eighteen years old. The man looked terrified and pointed to his ears with his hands.

"Hey!" Illinois yelled and made the men look at him. Illinois walked to them and asked, "What's the matter?" He looked at the man who looked scared to death. One of the soldiers answered, "We found him here and we all think he is a spy. However, he keeps saying he can't hear."

"We were going to hang him." The other soldier said.

Illinois finally saw the problem. He nodded and told soldiers to stay still and don't move. Illinois looked at the man's eyes and raised his hand to spell out something, "A-R-E Y-O-U D-E-A-F?" The soldiers were confused about what Illinois was doing. The man nodded, and at the same time looked shocked, then he used his hands to sign back, "Yes, I am deaf." Illinois nodded and asked another question to make sure he was deaf, "What school did you go to?" He signed. The man answered in sign language, "Georgia School for the Deaf."

Illinois smiled and turned to his soldiers and said, "Yes, he is Deaf. Now go away, I will take him home."

The soldiers were ready to argue but dropped the topic and left. Illinois signed to the boy, "You are lucky, and I know some sign language. What are you doing here anyway?" The boy answered, "Hunting some squirrels."

Illinois sighed at this, and said "You know there is a war going on. It is not safe to go hunting. The army will think you are up to no good." Illinois warned.

"Yes, I am sorry. I won't do that again. Thank you so much for saving my life. By the way my name is J-O-S-H K-E-N-N-E-R." Josh signed and spelled out his name. Illinois nodded and signed, "Good. I am from Illinois and I went to the deaf school there. I read some stories to young children. That is how I know some signs." Illinois smiled proudly.

They chatted in sign language until they arrived at Josh's home and his parents were standing outside door. Illinois explained what happened to the parents in sign language.

"Really? Oh we can't thank you enough" the mother said and hugged him. Illinois was surprise at the hug but hugged back.

"Why don't you stay for dinner?" the father said. Illinois looked at the man and felt his stomach growls

"Sure!" Illinois signed. They went inside and had a big turkey for dinner. They all chatted in sign language.

_150 years later_

A hundreds eyes stared at Illinois in disbelief at what the state had just told them. Illinois finished telling his story and smiled proudly, "So I never saw or heard from him again, but I always knew he had a good life and passed that story to his children and so on."

America's mouth was opened with straw still in his mouth, "I…I…don't know what to say."

"Why didn't you ever tell us that?" Georgia asked, shocked that it happened in her state. Illinois chuckled and said, "I decided to pick the right time. 150 years is just right."

America stood up and gave Illinois a big hug, "I am so proud of you son. That is very heroic." Illinois hugged his father back, a tear going down on his cheek. He still does remember that day, every time he met a deaf person, he thought of Josh.

Author's note: End of chapter two.

TBC


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